Memorandum of Conversation with Secretary of State Dean Acheson, Ambassador of Italy Alberto Tarchiani, George W. Perkins, and Homer Byington

0338 TOP SEGRET SECURITY INFORMATION 120 s/s DEPARTMENT OF STATE 248 Memorandum of Conversation DATE: July 30, 1952 United States-Italian Relations SUBJECT: DECLASSIFIED STATE DEPT. LTR. 5-5-13 PARTICIPANTS: Mr. Tarchiani, Ambassador of Italy Project NLT 62.4 The Secretary Mr. Perkins, LUR By NLT- We NARS, Dato 6.15-63 Mr. Byington, WE S/SV American Embassy, Rome COPIES TO: G EUR (2) WE RA EG U. s. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 16-61120-1 The Italian Ambassador said that he was leaving early next month for Italy and had come in to say goodby and to have a general review of U. S.-Italian relations prior to his departure. He hoped to visit with Prime Minister De Gasperi during Mr. De Gasperi's holiday in the mountains and on that occasion would take up with him the matters dis- cussed here. Italian Elections First and foremost were the Italian national elections which would take place next spring in April or May. At that time the whole fate of Italy would be in the balance and what would decide the outcome would be what we had done between now and then. He had discussed with Mr. Matthews the question of a close collaboration between the Embassy and the Depart- ment in order that things that could be done to help the situation should not be overlooked until the last moment when they would be ineffective. He was also going to take up the matter in Italy and urge a similar close collaboration between the Foreign Office and the American Embassy there. The Secretary said that he was in full agreement that we should bear in mind the importance of these elections and that we should work together as closely as possible for a successful outcome. Mr. Tarchiani said that the real danger was Communism and that the Nationalists would also make some inroads, but not as great as in the recent elections in the south. The Secretary inquired with regard to the position of the Vatican. The Ambassador replied that prior to the recent elections in Rome, Gedda (head of the Catholic Action) had become so fearful of a Communist success FOP SEGRET scoun /in Rome